Vampires Beginning
by kirallie
Summary: Side story to Vampires Call. Brief WufeixSally. The story of how Trowa came to belong to Wufei and then Heero.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing.  
__Since Vampires Call was so popular I decided to write another story set in that universe. This will be the story of how Trowa eventually ends up a member of Heero's family.  
__Ten years after Heero put Duo to sleep the vampires took over and changed the world, Trowa was seven. _

**Chapter 1**

Catherine smiled as she tucked her brother into the bed, despite the fact that he was almost thirteen he still let her mother him. It had been nearly six years since their parents' deaths and since then she had been the only mother he knew. They were all the other had in the world since their once safe lives had come crashing down on them. It had been so hard at first, trying to adapt to such a different life style but they had managed to scrape by where many others had failed. In part she knew it was due to their age, the young have a tendency of being more adaptable to change than adults. She'd managed to make a fairly comfortable life for the two of them over the past few years, the never wanted for food or warmth during the winter and they had both managed to continue some form of education until just recently.

Recently…she shook her head sadly before moving to her own bed. There had always been disappearances at night since the takeover but in the last six months they had gotten worse. And what made it even scarier was that the local vampires were patrolling the area, actually trying to stop them. But so far they had been ineffective since more and more people were vanishing, some from their very beds as they slept. It was why she never let Trowa out of her sight these days, why they had stopped lessons and why she always slept very lightly with a wooden stake under her pillow and with all entrances boarded up for the night.

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Trowa smiled for his sister as she left their small home for the days work. He knew she was really worried about leaving him alone but she would be home long before nightfall so he wasn't worried. He piled up the breakfast dishes and washed them before heading outside to weed their small vegetable garden. They grew what they could to cut down on the money they had to spend on food, as did nearly everyone who had the room to do so. Catherine was always very careful in making sure they had just a bit more than they needed right now, if she fell ill or was injured they would need the extra to get by as he was too young to look for work.

He loved his older sister dearly and he knew she loved him but he still missed their parents so much. Since their deaths during the takeover he hardly spoke anymore and he knew that made Cathy sad but he couldn't help it. He just didn't feel like talking very much which was a big change from when he was little, back then he was the biggest chatterbox that lived. But since watching his parents die… at least he still had Catherine; he didn't know what he would do if anything happened to her and he knew there was a chance. He knew she was pretty and that pretty people were the most frequent to vanish but they were always very careful.

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Trowa lay utterly still in his bed, trying to act as if he were still asleep. Something was wrong but he didn't know what. He just knew that someone or something was in the house that shouldn't be. He swallowed and let his eyes drift towards his sister's bed; she was still asleep from what he could tell.

The windows shattered inward, sending glass shards and broken timber flying threw the air. Trowa instinctively curled up to protect his face and stomach, the blankets taking most of the damage. Catherine screamed as she started awake and then kept screaming as figures flowed into the room. Trowa scrambled out of bed, trying to untangle himself from the blankets and get to her. Cold hands wrapped around his throat and he choked on a scream, fighting wildly. Catherine's screams became more desperate and he could here various objects in the room falling and breaking. His fighting became even more furious as his vision began to fade.

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Trowa coughed and gasped, struggling against restraining hands.

"Easy son, you're okay." The gentle voice made him stop fighting as he finally managed to take a deep breath and open his eyes. A man was leaning over him and smiling kindly. He looked around the room, not recognising where he was.

"Catherine." He whispered around his bruised throat.

"I'm sorry, you were the only one we found. Lie back and try to sleep, you need to rest." Trowa lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Catherine was gone? No! She couldn't' be, she'd promised not to leave him. She'd promised!

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"How's the boy?" Mark asked as soon as he entered the room.

"He'll be fine physically given some time to heal. Turns out he wasn't the only one in the house, he asked for someone named Catherine." Daniel answered.

"A sibling maybe?"

"Maybe."

"Any sign of…" Mark indicated his neck and Daniel shook his head.

"He's clean, they only tried to strangle him, not feed."

"Good. He'll make a good recruit with some training."

"He's just a kid!"

"Perfect age to start training, I'm not suggesting we send him out for several years yet but if they took his sister…" Mark trailed off and Daniel nodded in understanding. Better they teach and care for the boy than allowing him to run off and get himself killed by trying to get revenge so soon.  
"Let me know when he's healed, I'll speak to him then."

_TBC…_  
_Well? What do you think? An okay start?_


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: Don't own Gundam Wing and never will.  
__Not many reviews compared to the first story, does that mean you don't like it? _

**Chapter 2**

Trowa frowned slightly in concentration as he worked through the exercises he'd been given. They weren't easy but he knew they were necessary if he ever wanted to go out and hunt with the others. As the youngest member of the group and the only one under twenty he was treated very much as the baby but he didn't really mind since it meant there was always someone willing to teach him something new. He also knew that his unwillingness to talk had them worried but he couldn't bring himself to care, he just wanted his sister back. Since she had been taken he hadn't spoken more than a few scattered sentences when he didn't understand something he was learning. He missed the small house he had shared with Catherine, the caves the hunters used were always cold and damp but he was getting used to that. In the three months he had been with the group there had been no sign of her and even more people had disappeared, the town was turning into a ghost town and no one was able to stop it.

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"Stay Wufei." He paused in getting redressed at the entreaty but he knew it would be foolish to do as she asked. He didn't want to loose her and if she ever learned the truth he would. He sighed as he heard her move from the bed to stand behind him, slender arms coming to wrap around him.

"I can't, I have to get back." He answered softly, turning to face her and leave a gentle kiss on her lips.

"I know Wufei." He froze, staring into her eyes. Surely she couldn't mean?  
"I've known since the beginning."

"Known what?" He breathed, afraid of what her answer was going to be.

"That you're one of them, a vampire." If his heart still beat that soft statement would have stopped it.

"I…" She put a finger to his lips.  
"Sally." She smiled up at him and hugged him to her.

"I'm not afraid of you Wufei; I know you won't hurt me. You may be a vampire but you are not a monster." She moved to kiss him and he held her in his arms, still in shock.  
"I love you." She whispered against his lips as she pulled back. Dark eyes widened in shock.

"You…you love me?" He couldn't stop starring at her, wondering if the night was a dream and she was about to disappear.  
"You can't love me, I'm"

"A wonderful and caring man, the man I love." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, gasping in shock as her tongue traced his fangs, fangs he had always been so careful to keep her from finding.

"I love you Sally." He whispered tenderly as they parted so that she could breathe. He smiled, brushing her hair back from her face to simply stare at her.

"Stay with me." He shook his head.

"You know what I am but do you really understand it? Waking up next to a corpse is not nice and that is what I'll be for the day." He swallowed, hating that he had to say that but she needed to understand.

"I know and it's okay, I want you to stay with me." He kissed her again before pulling away.

"And I want to stay but I meant it when I said I can't. There's things happening at the moment and I need to be there. I'll be back as soon as I can though, I swear." Sally nodded and gave him one last kiss before returning to bed. Wufei forced himself to look away and finish dressing before slipping from the house.

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Trowa followed the two older males as they made their way through the seemingly deserted town. He gripped the sword he'd been given tightly as he scanned their surroundings for threats. Nice way to spend his fourteenth birthday, not exactly the typical birthday but they had lost five hunters in the last three months, including Daniel. The town was all but deserted now; those who could leave had run months ago while the rest huddled in their houses at night praying for the dawn. They paused as Troy cautiously moved into an alley, having seen something. The dark haired male swore softly before giving the all clear. Trowa and Harold slipped into the alley only to find the body of a young woman, obviously dead. Trowa frowned and knelt beside her, gingerly rolling the body over. He froze as her face was revealed, hands shaking enough that his sword fell to the ground.

"Trowa?" Harold called gently, worried about the teen.

"No, please no." He whispered, brushing matted hair back from her face.  
"Catherine please wake up." Troy exchanged a worried look with Harold before crouching beside the boy. He placed a hand on a shaking shoulder only for it to be violently shrugged off.

"Come on kid, we need to leave." But Trowa ignored him, gently rocking his sisters' body and calling for her to wake up. But with half her throat torn out that was never going to happen. The two men looked at each other before Troy lashed out and then grabbed Trowa as the teen collapsed, unconscious from the blow. He lifted the light teen up and the headed back to the caves.

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Trowa barely managed to swallow a scream as he jolted awake. He stumbled up from his pallet and over to the basin and jug of water to splash his face. Why did he see Catherine's face every time he closed his eyes? He knew the others were worried about him; he wasn't sleeping and barely ate anything. He'd started losing weight that he really couldn't afford to but he couldn't bring himself to care. Catherine, his beloved sister, was dead. Brutally killed by the creatures that had destroyed their world and he hadn't been able to save her. Why couldn't he have died in her place? He balled shaking hands into fists, not caring as his nails left bloody marks in his palms. He'd kill them all for what they had done to his family, he didn't care how long it took or what it cost. Taking a deep breath he left his room and headed for the training rooms.

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Wufei looked around as he entered the meeting room, he'd much rather be spending the time with Sally but when the Council called you obeyed. Only Treize and Heero would ignore them and be relatively safe while doing so. And while he was powerful, especially for his age, he was nowhere near in their league. He couldn't help the small smile as his thoughts once again wandered to his lover. He'd started spending the day in her bed a few months ago and it was incredible to wake in the evening with her in his arms. He'd thought it all out carefully and he was going to ask if she would let him claim her as his mate. Then they would be together for eternity. But would she agree to being turned? Yes she accepted what he was but she had only ever seen certain aspects of his nature. He had been careful to never feed around her or use his mental powers. He forced his thoughts away from her as the Council entered and took their seats; it was going to be a long night.

It was near dawn when he slipped into Sally's room and stood at the foot of the bed, content to watch her sleep. He undressed silently and then slid in beside her, pulling her into his arms.

"Mmmm." She moved slightly and he hushed her, smiling as she settled closer to him. He hated that he would have to leave at sunset but the Council had ordered him to look into what was happening in a nearby town and he had to obey. There was a small group already on the way but they were sending him to meet up with them as there was no one in the group over a hundred and there was always the slim chance they would need someone more experienced and powerful. He personally felt they should have done more nearly two years ago when the trouble had started but he wasn't going to tell them that.  
"Wufei?" He looked down to see Sally was awake.

"I didn't mean to wake you love."

"S'okay. Meeting went well?" She asked sleepily.

"I have to leave tonight but I shouldn't be gone for more than a week."

"Don't want you to go." She murmured and he smiled, kissing her on the nose.

"I know but when I get back I'll never leave you again." He swore to her as she drifted back off to sleep.

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Trowa threw himself at Troy's attacker, sword swinging but the vampire dodged. He didn't know how they had found the caves and frankly didn't care; all that mattered was killing them and protecting his friends. He screamed in rage as Troy fell, blood flowing freely from his torn throat. He ran at his friends' killer to take revenge, dimly aware that the sounds of fighting were dieing off but he didn't know which side was proving victorious. He fought, biting and kicking, as arms wrapped around him, lifting him clean off the floor, laughter surrounding him. That answered the question of who was winning. He continued to struggle even as his sword was ripped from his hand and he was carried over to a tall, aristocratic looking vampire. The vampire sneered down at him and he spat at it, earning him a slap to the face.

"Nothing more than a child but you'll do." Trowa tried to scream as glowing eyes held his but the world was going dark. He didn't feel it as his body hit the ground when the vampire holding him let go, he was no longer aware of anything.

When he woke he found himself in a cold, bare cell and chained to the wall. He shuddered as he looked around only to see bones and tattered cloth. His whole body ached from the battle and his head felt as if it was stuffed with cotton but at least he was still alive. He stiffened as the door to his cell was opened and a vampire entered. He was released from the chains but easily caught when he tried to bolt.

"Stupid boy, there's nowhere to run." The vampire hissed at him. But that didn't stop Trowa from fighting against him as he was dragged up stairs. He swallowed as he looked around the opulent room, full of vampires who were all staring at him hungrily. He recognised the one from the caves lounging on a throne like chair and fought even more fiercely as he was dragged towards him. Trowa fought a shudder as a cold finger traced down his cheek. The vampire smiled and pulled Trowa down into a mock embrace, nuzzling his neck. The teen fought tears as he realised what was going to happen, he would not cry! If he was going to die then he would go out fighting. He began struggling anew only to earn laughs from those watching. He couldn't help but scream as sharp fangs punctured his neck and his blood was pulled from his body. But his scream turned to a moan of pleasure as the vampire continued to feed. He'd never felt anything like this pleasure before, it was maddening and yet a part of him was screaming at him to fight it. He lay limply where he fell as the vampire pushed him away, unable to think past the haze of pleasure or the blood loss.

"Put him back for now." The vampire dismissed him and his guard hauled him up, dragging him back downstairs where he was re-chained in his cell. In seconds he was hanging limply as he passed out from the blood loss.

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Wufei sat on his horse, looking down into the valley at the medium sized town. The whole valley was eerily silent even for the dead of night. He felt a few of the younger vampires shift nervously in their saddles but ignored them, stretching out his senses to try and find their prey. He snarled silently as he came up empty.

"We'll rest in those caves for the day." He indicated a cave opening and they obeyed him instantly. It was too close to dawn to begin a proper search now, it would have to wait until nightfall.

_TBC…  
__Brining Wufei and a bit of his back story into this too. Hope you like.  
__This is actually turning out harder than Call since I know where it will end up and a few of the stops along the way. It's the parts leading up to those bits that are hard. _


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: Not mine._

**Chapter 3**

Trowa moaned weakly, pushing against the vampire holding him down but it didn't matter. He was dieing and he knew it, every time they fed he got weaker and weaker, what little food and water he was given nowhere near enough to help replenish the blood he lost. He didn't know how long they'd had him and honestly didn't care, he'd be dead soon enough. Maybe he would see his parents and Catherine again when that happened.

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Wufei snarled as once again they came up empty. They had evacuated the last remaining villagers, except for five strong young men since they did need to feed, but there was still no sign of the ones who had caused all this and it had already been a week. He knew they hadn't left yet which meant there were still captured humans alive for them to be feeding off but those humans wouldn't last much longer. He just wanted this over with so he could go home to Sally. He had decided that he would ask her to be his mate, all he could do was hope she said yes.

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He hung limply from his chains, barely breathing and completely unaware of the chaos above him. Even if he had been aware of it he wouldn't have cared. The chains were unnecessary, he didn't have the strength to open his eyes let alone try to escape and where would he go? The sound of his cell door being ripped off its hinges made his eyelids flutter slightly but that was the only reaction he gave.

Wufei cursed as he caught sight of the cells single occupant. The figure was skin and bones, filthy and barely breathing. Moving quickly he simply pulled the chains from the wall, gathering the mortal up carefully in his arms, a move which must have hurt and yet not a whimper was heard. Wufei managed to get his cloak off and wrapped his burden in it before leaving the dungeons for the upper levels. He emerged to find the clean up finished, the only vampires left were those of his group.

"We'll stay here for the day and leave tonight. Take what you want as long as it won't slow us." He ordered without stopping. Finding the room he wanted he pushed the door open and carefully lowered the bindle to the bed. Grabbing a basin of water and some cloths he unwrapped his cloak and set about trying to clean the human up. It didn't take long to work out it was a young male, still in his early teens by the looks of it. His hands shook with rage as he uncovered what had been done to the boy, they had killed this group far too quickly. Going to the wardrobe he found the plainest shirt he could and shredded it, using it to bandage the many wounds littering the teen's body, he could only hope infection didn't set in too badly. Once that was done he left the room in search of food and the keys to unlock the cuffs still wrapped around damaged wrists.

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Wufei held the boy gently as he rode. He had yet to wake unless it had been during the day and that was worrying. The boy needed a doctor but he didn't want to push their horses any faster. Everyone was eager to return to their homes now that their job was done and the horses could sense that, galloping along the road as fast as they could. The jarring motions were probably very painful for the boy and yet he still hadn't done so much as whimper or flinch from pain.

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Wufei stood as the doctor finally emerged from the bedroom. He had been in there for nearly three hours and it had been driving him crazy.

"Well?"

"He is dangerously malnourished master and it appears he was continually feed on without being allowed to recover from the blood loss. I have put a healing salve on his wounds and bandaged them, they will need to be cleaned regularly. I am hesitantly optimistic about his chances for survival but if any of those wounds become infected he will not survive with his condition. Will he be remaining in your house master?" Wufei gave a curt nod.  
"Then I shall leave instructions for his care and diet with your servants. If he survives the next week he will recover but it will be slow." The mortal bowed and left, leaving Wufei to go and observe the teen. Freshly bathed, in clean nightclothes and ensconced in a bed he looked a better than he had before. He found himself wondering what exactly he was going to do with the boy once he was healed. He didn't really want to be stuck with a teenager who had just lost everything and been through a horrific ordeal but what else could he do with him? Perhaps…Sally had a cousin who he remembered had no children but according to his lover had always wanted them. Perhaps they could take him? But for now the teen needed to heal and he wanted to see Sally.

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Something was very wrong. Wufei slipped silently through the small house, keen eyes needing no light other than the small amount of moonlight spilling through the windows to observe the house and what he saw made him move even quicker. He threw open the door to the bedroom only to find it empty and covered in the same fine layer of dust as the rest of the house. Where was Sally? Opening his senses he felt dread seize him as he detected the faint trace of another vampire, nearly four days old. He collapsed on the bed, inhaling the fading scent of his Sally, before forcing himself to leave. He had to find her before something happened to her. He would never forgive himself if anything harmed her. Why didn't he insist she move into his house while he was away? She would have been safe there, his servants would have seen to it.

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Something was different, he didn't know what though. He fought to open his eyes but they wouldn't respond and his body felt so heavy. He let out a pitiful whimper as something was put on his wounds that made his skin burn. He tried to move away from it but his tired body wouldn't respond.

"It's alright child, you're safe now. Just rest and heal." He tried to open his eyes and see who had spoken but blackness rose up and claimed him before he could succeed.

Wufei looked down at the boy as he reapplied the salve. That small whimper was the first sound he had made since his rescue so he would take it as a good sign. It had been three days since his return home and he had yet to find a trace of Sally or the one who had taken her and so he had thrown himself into caring for the sick teenager, something he knew Sally with her tender heart would approve of.

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Trowa stared listlessly around the room he'd woken in. it was a rather nice room he supposed, plain but well kept and far nicer than any he had been in since his parents deaths. He had woken to find himself no longer chained to a wall but well wrapped in blankets in a nice sized bed. His head felt clearer than it had since the fight in the caves and while his body ached it was a lot better than what he could vaguely remember feeling earlier. He stiffened as the door opened and another, older teen entered. He was Asian by appearance but something about the way he moved put Trowa on edge. For a second Trowa saw surprise on the others face before it vanished behind an almost emotionless mask.

"How do you feel?" Trowa opened his mouth to ask what had happened but no sound came out. Seeing that the other moved to the bedside and handed him a glass of water.  
"Drink slowly, you've been very sick and your body won't handle it if you drink to quickly."

"Where am I?" Trowa finally managed to ask after drinking about half the glass.

"My home. You were rescued from the group that wiped out most of what I'm assuming was your village. You were the only one we found alive in their hideout but there were a few people still alive in their homes who we evacuated. I am Chang Wufei, what is your name?"

"Trowa Barton. We who?" Wufei sighed, he'd been hoping the boy wouldn't ask until he had recovered further, he didn't want fear setting his recovery back.

"The Council sent a group of us to take care of the ones preying on your people." Trowa stared blankly at him for a bit before a look of horror crossed his face.

"Vampire." The boy spat before managing to push himself across the bed and away from Wufei. The vampire moved, restraining him gently and moving him back onto the pillows.

"Yes, I am a vampire but not all of us are like those that held you. As long as you are here you will not be harmed."

"Liar. Your kind are nothing but monsters." Trowa snarled and Wufei frowned, sensing more to his anger than his own near death experience.

"If that were so you would be dead. Get some rest, a meal will be delivered shortly. Eat it, you need to build up your strength." With that he left the room.

_TBC…_


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: Still don't own them._

**Chapter 4**

Trowa struggled to get out of the bed but he was so weak. He had to get away before the vampire came back. He wouldn't be able to last much longer if this one decided to use him as an easy food source too. He froze as the door opened and a man slightly older than him entered with a tray. Another man was following him and before Trowa could react he was being held up, the pillows behind him rearranged and then he was sitting up against them with the tray in his lap.

"Who are you?" But neither of them answered him as they left, closing the door behind them. Trowa uncovered the tray with shaking hands to find more water and a bowl of what appeared to be soup. Knowing he needed to regain his strength if he was going to escape he cautiously took a sip of the warm liquid and then had to fight his rebellious stomach as it tried to expel what he had just swallowed. Very slowly he ate the soup and then drank the water. Unfortunately the warm food had the side effect of leaving him very drowsy and content feeling. He fought against the feelings but his eyes eventually slid shut and he slumped down against the pillows. Trowa was unaware of the bedroom door opening again to admit one of the men from before and Wufei. The vampire waited as the servant took the tray from the room before going over to the bed and looking down at the stubborn teen.

Wufei looked down at the drugged youth for a bit before gently rearranging him into a far more comfortable position. He doubted it would take long for the teen to realise his food was being drugged but it was doctor's orders. Sleep was merely a side effect of the medication he was being given to help him heal. Wufei wrinkled his nose slightly; as soon as he was strong enough Trowa was being taken down to the natural springs below his home, despite the regular sponge baths the boy still smelt.

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Trowa pushed the tray away, it had taken a few days but he had finally realised that something in the food was knocking him out and he was sick of spending all his time unconscious. When the silent man came back in Trowa glared at him. The man moved over to the bed and looked down at the uneaten food before turning and leaving, locking the door behind him. Not long after the door reopened to admit the vampire.

"Charles tells me you aren't eating." Was the comment and Trowa turned away.  
"You need food to regain your strength. If the soup isn't to your liking you may be up to handling soft food."

"And more drugs?" Trowa spat and the vampire sighed.

"You were very ill and almost died. The doctor I had look you over prescribed a course of drugs which are added to your food. Sleep is merely a side effect. You have no choice in eating so you might as well enjoy the food." Trowa hurled the tray at him but the vampire ducked and was suddenly beside the bed, gently holding his chin. Trowa tried to shut his eyes but wasn't fast enough as he felt a fog of contentment seep through his mind.

Wufei released his grip and the adolescent slumped back onto the pillows, staring vacantly up at him waiting for orders. He hadn't wanted to do it but the boy wasn't leaving him any other choice.

"Trowa you will eat what food you are given without complaint and will not fight whatever effects the medication has on you. Do you understand?"

"Yes." The teen answered immediately, voice empty and remote.

"Good, now relax and sleep until more food is brought." Green eyes obediently slipped shut and his breathing deepened. Wufei readjusted him on the bed and then left, the council had called for him.

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"How is the boy you rescued?" Trieze asked from his seat.

"Stubborn. He is healing slowly but well." Wufei answered honestly.

"When will he be ready for questioning over what happened?" Mariah asked coolly.

"He can't get out of bed unaided yet so perhaps a month?"

"Too long. You have two weeks." She snapped back and Wufei bowed before being excused. Two weeks was not nearly enough to prepare the boy. But his mind was not on that as he left the room. No, his mind was on the chained pet that had knelt at Mariah's feet. He shook with rage as he remembered the sight of his beloved Sally dressed in the grey clothes and collar of a pet, her empty face the only thing he could see as he slumped in his carriage. He had failed her completely by leaving her in her home alone and unclaimed. But what had Mariah even been doing so close to his home? Surely she couldn't have gone this far in her vendetta against him? But he wouldn't put it past the thousand year old vampiress. She hated him still for his Sire refusing to give him to her when he was still human and since he was dead she took that anger out on Wufei whenever she could get away with it.

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Wufei dismissed the servant who had been helping Trowa clean up and simply stared at the teen who began to shift nervously.

"The Council has commanded your presence in two weeks when you will be questioned as to what happened in your town. I had hoped they would give you longer to recover but that is not to be." Trowa went white and Wufei had to catch him before he fell. The teen went rigid in his grasp and the vampire swiftly lowered him back to the bed.

"And then they'll kill me?" The boy asked snidely but Wufei could feel him shaking in fear.

"Why would they? What happened hardly had anything to do with you." The teen snorted in disbelief and turned away.  
"Since you seem to have a lot more energy today I think it's time you had a bath." He smirked as that caught Trowa's interest, despite how he tried to hide it.  
"Come." He held out a hand but Trowa ignored it to stand shakily on his own. Wufei sighed in annoyance but decided to let it pass, for now anyway. He led the trembling youth from the bedroom and into the halls of his home. He kept a close watch on him so he caught him as soon as the teen's legs began to buckle, lifting him easily into his arms despite his weak efforts to struggle. Wufei simply carried him downstairs and into the rocky cavern filled with bubbling pools. He held Trowa up with one hand and stripped him off with the other before lowering him into one of the shallower pools. Trowa was bright red by the time he was in the water but it got worse when Wufei stripped and joined him.

"What are you doing?" Wufei chuckled as the teen's voice broke.

"You can barely sit up unaided let alone wash yourself. It should be obvious what I'm doing." Was his reply as he gathered a wash cloth and approached. Trowa's breathing became gasps as he started to panic and thrash in the water, slipping off the bench and going under. Wufei quickly grabbed him and pulled him back up, holding him as he coughed water up. But Trowa continued to fight him.  
"Trowa." He snapped and wide green eyes met his. He reached out to calm the teen but it proved too much for him and the green eyes rolled back in his head, body going completely limp in Wufei's hold. Growling in annoyance he washed the teen while holding him up. He tried to stay calm, he knew the boy had been through a horrific ordeal but surely he should be starting to recover by now? After all no one in Wufei's household had harmed him or even looked at him crossly. He was drying the teen off by the time he began to stir and he waited as glazed green eyes slowly fluttered open. Wufei's breath caught as he stared down at the body laid out on a towel. He knew now why the boy had been kept alive; he was very attractive now that he was gaining weight. The teen lay placidly on the towel letting Wufei know he was still under his influence. Wufei moved away and returned with fresh nightclothes. Trowa's body remained unresisting as he dressed him, glassy gaze following his movements slowly.

"Let's get you back to bed." Wufei lifted the unresponsive body easily and left the chamber, heading back upstairs to the room Trowa was using. He placed the teen gently underneath the sheets and then held a glass of water to his partially parted lips.  
"Drink slowly." Trowa immediately obeyed.  
"Now sleep." Vacuous green eyes slid dutifully shut.

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Trowa cooperated with the servant helping him to dress but Wufei knew it was only because he was in the room. The two weeks had passed quickly and it was time to take the teen before the council. At least Trowa didn't need to be carried anymore although he still moved slowly. He knew Trowa did not like being helped to dress, especially since he was only wearing simple trousers and a shirt but it was better than him falling over while trying to do it himself. And Wufei had his own reasons for dreading the upcoming meeting, Mariah was sure to have Sally displayed where he would easily be able to see her. The thought of his Sally brought to the life of a pet actually made him feel physically ill, something that was technically impossible. But he would have to endure it just as Trowa would have to endure being in a room filled with vampires.

Trowa ignored Wufei as the vampire walked slowly at his side towards the carriage. No matter how much he hated to admit it he was petrified at the thought of what was coming. He knew as soon as they learnt he was a hunter he would die and despite everything he wasn't really ready for that yet. But he couldn't see any other outcome. At least his last weeks had been more comfortable than those before. For a vampire Wufei wasn't too bad, he'd only kept him in a locked room and had not once fed from him. But he still didn't like him or trust him at all.

The ride to the old manor the council was using while in the area was utterly silent except for the quiet sound of Trowa breathing as he slept. He was still weak so it hadn't taken long for the motion of the carriage to lull him to slumber, something Wufei was glad of. Trowa would need all of his strength to face the council. Of the eleven he knew only Trieze held any real sympathy to humans; most of them were indifferent with a few like Mariah caring only for the blood in their veins. It was a very real possibility they would kill Trowa to cover up what had happened and while he didn't like that there was honestly nothing he could do if that were their decision.

Trowa woke as the carriage came to a stop and slowly followed Wufei towards the imposing manor. He tensed and stared around, looking for possible escape routes but he knew Wufei was too fast for him to get more than a few steps. His heart sped up as they walked through silent halls and Wufei looked over at him a few times, obviously able to hear it. They finally came to a large set of doors that opened at their approach and all he wanted to was run but Wufei placed a cold hand on his back and pushed him forward gently. He knew he was trembling as he guided to the single chair placed before what had to be the council. His knees locked but Wufei still pushed him down onto the chair before stepping back. Trowa instantly lowered his gaze to stare at the marble floor.

Wufei watched as Trowa avoided making eye contact but they were the council for a reason and it wouldn't help him at all.

"Trowa Barton." A silky voice called out and sure enough Trowa's body went limp in the chair, almost sliding off before Wufei could grab him and push him back into it. A glimpse at green eyes showed they were completely empty and glazed over. Athanase may have been one of the weaker council members but he excelled in one area far beyond the others. He didn't need eye contact to control a mortals mind, all he needed was their name. And because he didn't require eye contact any vampire present could question the one being controlled so it was a very useful interrogation tool. Trowa hadn't stood a chance of avoiding it since Wufei himself had told the council his name on his last visit. Moving away from the chair Wufei nodded to the council to let them know Trowa was ready.

"How old are you Trowa?" Trieze asked the standard opening question.

"Sixteen." Trowa's voice was quiet and monotonous even as his head lolled against the chairs headrest.

"Where is your family?" Obviously Trieze was going to be the only questioner, at least for now.

"Dead." Trowa was so far under that he didn't even twitch at either the question or his own answer.

"How?" Nia called out from where she was seated beside Mariah.

"Vampires." Wufei hid a wince, that helped explain why Trowa hadn't relaxed at all around him.

"When?" Trieze asked to clarify his answer.

"Takeover. Two years ago?"

"Who died two years ago?" Nia asked.

"Catherine." Trowa moaned softly at that name and a finger twitched slightly to the council's surprise. Athanase frowned and then relaxed even as Trowa spasmed slightly in the chair before his eyes fell shut. The only reason he didn't slump sideways off the chair was the hand rests.

"What happened in your village starting two years ago? In detail." Trieze asked.

"Vampires. People disappeared at night more than usual no matter how many patrols. Broke in, took Catherine. Hunters came, saved me. Trained. Fought back. So many deaths. Caves attacked, don't know how they got in, killed everyone. Woke up in cell. Kept me, fed from me all the time. Hurt so much." Trowa's voice was even softer now and some of his words slurred.

"Enough! Did you hear him? He's a Hunter. Kill him." Mariah broke in even as Trowa fell instantly silent at her command. Wufei stiffened and couldn't help but look towards her and the woman at her feet. Who was not Sally. He forced his attention from her back to the council.

"Can you blame the boy? From reports it was the only way to survive." Trieze was always the voice of reason.

"Never the less he is a Hunter. Trowa with the vampires that did that gone would you continue to hunt if freed?" Nicholas asked.

"Yes."

"See? Kill him." Wufei frowned and he could see Trieze was puzzled. Why was Mariah so insistent Trowa die?

"He is just a boy and there are other options." Nia surprisingly spoke in his defence.

"Who would take a Hunter as even a slave let alone a pet? And wiping his memory isn't good enough!" Mariah was pushing for his death but why? No one else on the council was. They began talking quietly amongst themselves, too quietly for Wufei to hear. He looked over at Trowa who was still slumped, unaware in the chair. At least he wouldn't feel anything if the death sentence was agreed to.

"Enough." The room fell silent as Trieze spoke. No one would cross the oldest over something like being quiet.  
"Unless someone in this room takes the boy as either a pet or slave he will be killed." There were a few grumbles of complaint but an annoyed glare from Trieze quieted them quickly. Wufei smiled slightly at the verdict and the way Trieze had worded it, someone present did not just mean council members and with Mariah wanting him dead so badly it would be a good way to get her back if only in a small way for Sally.

"I will take him as a pet." Wufei spoke calmly and clearly. The approving look Trieze shot him confirmed his theory on the older vampires wording.

"Agreed, it will be done now. Athanase release the boy." Trieze declared and the younger councilman nodded. Trowa blinked slowly, straightening in the chair before freezing.

Wufei walked over to Trowa and stood over him To his surprise the mortal actually looked up at though he looked resigned to his fate as he did so. Wufei reached out and Trowa once again relaxed though he did not put him anywhere near as deeply under as he had been for questioning.

"You feel no pain." He whispered before lowering his mouth to the slender neck. His fangs pierced the skin easily and Trowa moaned as he began to drink. He pulled back and then bit his own wrist, holding it to Trowa's mouth.  
"Drink Trowa." The youth obediently latched on and drank several mouthfuls before he was overwhelmed and lost consciousness.  
"Sleep until I wake you." He whispered and then straightened to face the council.  
"It is done."

"Take him and go. But he can never be freed Wufei, given to another yes but he must be bound in some way for as long as he lives." Wufei bowed in acknowledgment and then scooped the sleeping teen into his arms before leaving the room.

_TBC..._


End file.
